Different vitamins and minerals possess unique properties that determine how the body metabolizes them. Some are fat-soluble and dissolved by fats, whereas others are water-soluble and dissolved in water.
Vitamin C is water-soluble, meaning it does not stay in your system for long. The length of time a vitamin remains in the body is measured in half-lives, describing the time required for a substance to reduce to half its initial quantity.
Research suggests the average half-life of vitamin C in an adult human body is between 10 and 20 days 1.
If you don’t continue to top up your vitamin C levels, your body will continue eliminating it, and you may become deficient.
In this article, we will explain how the body metabolizes vitamin C and why it is so important for our health. To start, let’s examine the differences between water and fat-soluble vitamins.
Water-Soluble vs Fat-Soluble Vitamins
Vitamins are either water-soluble or fat-soluble. And if you cast your mind back to your science days in school, you might remember that soluble is essentially a fancy word for dissolvable.
Water-soluble vitamins include all B vitamins and vitamin C. These are dissolved by water in the body and are quickly and easily absorbed into tissues for immediate use. Any excess that isn’t required cannot be stored, so it’s excreted through urine.
Fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E, and K. These are absorbed by fats in the body and travel throughout the body in the bloodstream. Excess vitamins are stored in the liver and fat tissues for later use, so they are excreted from the body much slower than water-soluble vitamins.
As water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C cannot be stored like fat-soluble vitamins, they do not remain in the body for long and must be replenished more regularly.
Sources of Vitamin C
The best way to get adequate amounts of vitamin C is to ensure you eat your five a day - fresh fruit and vegetables are packed full of this vital vitamin. Eating them raw is best, as heat and water from cooking can reduce the vitamin C content.
Foods that are highest in vitamin C include:
- Citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit
- Peppers
- Tomatoes
- Strawberries
- Potatoes
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Leafy greens like spinach and kale
But it’s not always that easy to get your five a day. Especially for those who are averse to anything green! Vitamin C supplements are a great accompaniment to your diet and ensure your vitamin C levels don’t become depleted.
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Here are some of the impressive benefits of vitamin C supplements.
Stronger immune system
Vitamin C boosts the production and function of white blood cells, which help the body fight off harmful invading pathogens like bacteria and viruses 2. It also strengthens the skin’s barriers and promotes faster wound healing.
Better cardiovascular health
Heart disease is a leading cause of death worldwide. According to multiple scientific studies, vitamin C can improve heart health by lowering blood pressure and reducing levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol or triglycerides (unhealthy blood fats), which are both risk factors for heart disease.
One study found that people who took vitamin C supplements daily for 10 years had an astounding 25% lower risk of heart disease 3!
Protection against oxidative stress
One of vitamin C’s major claims to fame is its ability to fight cell damage caused by oxidative stress, a state that occurs when there is an excess of harmful free radicals in the body and not enough antioxidants.
Oxidative stress increases inflammation in the body and is linked to numerous chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and other health problems like allergies and asthma.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can help support the immune system and reduce the risk of diseases by neutralizing the effects of free radicals 4.
Prevents iron deficiency
Iron is an essential mineral that the body requires for making red blood cells and transporting oxygen throughout the body. Not enough iron can lead to anemia, characterized by extreme weakness and fatigue due to a lack of healthy red blood cells.
Vitamin C can help reduce the risk of iron deficiency and anemia by improving iron absorption in the body 5
Better brain function
Brain cell damage caused by free radicals and nervous system inflammation can increase the risk for brain disorders like dementia. Thanks to vitamin C’s antioxidant properties, it can help reduce inflammation and protect against cognitive decline 6.
Conclusion
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that dissolves in water and is readily absorbed by the body. It cannot be stored, so is eliminated through urine. This means vitamin C does not remain in your system for long, unlike fat-soluble vitamins, which dissolve in fat and are stored in the liver and fatty tissues.
As vitamin C cannot be stored, it must be replenished regularly by eating vitamin C-rich foods or taking supplements.
Vitamin C supplements can benefit your health by boosting your immune system, improving heart and brain health, preventing iron deficiency, and protecting against diseases by reducing cell damage and inflammation.
References
- Naidu, K. Akhilender. "Vitamin C in human health and disease is still a mystery? An overview." Nutrition journal 2.1 (2003): 1-10.
- Huijskens, Mirelle JAJ, et al. "Technical advance: ascorbic acid induces development of double‐positive T cells from human hematopoietic stem cells in the absence of stromal cells." Journal of Leukocyte Biology 96.6 (2014): 1165-1175.
- Knekt, Paul, et al. "Antioxidant vitamins and coronary heart disease risk: a pooled analysis of 9 cohorts." The American journal of clinical nutrition 80.6 (2004): 1508-1520.
- Alessio, Helaine M., Allan H. Goldfarb, and Guohua Cao. "Exercise-induced oxidative stress before and after vitamin C supplementation." International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism 7.1 (1997): 1-9.
- Hurrell, Richard, and Ines Egli. "Iron bioavailability and dietary reference values." The American journal of clinical nutrition91.5 (2010): 1461S-1467S.
- Paleologos, Michael, Robert G. Cumming, and Ross Lazarus. "Cohort study of vitamin C intake and cognitive impairment." American journal of epidemiology 148.1 (1998): 45-50.
